2017 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 1157 complaints
1157
Total Complaints
51,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
25
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
30,000
25th Percentile
51,000
Median Mileage
70,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
249
Electrical System
157
Unknown Or Other
144
Vehicle Speed Control
132
Power Train
126
Service Brakes
64
Fuel/Propulsion System
56
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
53
Steering
46
Exterior Lighting
20
Severity Assessment
25
Crashes
7
Fires
23
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"ON 27 APRIL, 2017, I WAS RIDING AS A PASSENGER IN A 2017 MALIBU. WE WERE TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN WE NEEDED TO STOP RAPIDLY, TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. BECAUSE I HAVE ZERO TRUST IN GM, I WAS PROTECTING MYSELF (THE BEST ONE CAN) FOR JUST S..."
"AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS IN THE 2017 MALIBU, WHICH IS THE 6T40, IS NOT RATED TO BE IN THIS VEHICLE. THE 6T40 IS RATED AT 177LB-FT TORQUE, THE MALIBU HAS 184LB-FT. GMAUTHORITY.COM/BLOG/GM/GM-TRANSMISSIONS/MH8/ THIS LINK IS THE PAGE FOR THE 6T40. HOW..."
"I PURCHASED A 2017 CHEVY MALIBU LAST WEEK. I WAS LOOKING OVER THE DATA ON THE CHEVY WEBSITE. CHEVY IS LISTING TWO DIFFERENT HP RATINGS FOR THIS CAR. ONE AREA STATES 163HP & 184 LB-FT TORQUE. THE OTHER SAYS 160HP & 184 LB-FT TORQUE. THE MAIN ISSUE I HAVE IS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. GM SAYS THE CA..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
249 complaints
25th: 30,000 mi
Median: 56,114 mi
75th: 75,492 mi
Electrical System
157 complaints
25th: 29,979 mi
Median: 49,000 mi
75th: 62,000 mi
Unknown Or Other
144 complaints
25th: 20,528 mi
Median: 36,034 mi
75th: 53,500 mi
Vehicle Speed Control
132 complaints
25th: 36,500 mi
Median: 57,711 mi
75th: 72,773 mi
Power Train
126 complaints
25th: 32,000 mi
Median: 49,284 mi
75th: 70,000 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 121
TX: 103
IL: 84
FL: 70
MI: 69
OH: 58
GA: 56
NY: 43
MO: 40
MD: 37
Who Files Complaints?
0.3%
Original Owners
99.7%
Second+ Owners
Chevrolet Malibu — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (4)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Occupant Classification
Campaign 18V400000 | 14/06/2018
In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
Fuel Pump
Campaign 18V358000 | 31/05/2018
A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222
Side/Window
Campaign 16V870000 | 02/12/2016
Insufficient welds could cause the inflator to separate and propel air bag debris into the cabin during a crash. Also, the inflator could fail to inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16146.
Critical Fasteners
Campaign 21V649000 | 20/08/2021
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
Vehicle Rankings
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28